WVH deliberately opts for in-house design and production. "Then it is nice to be able to show a customer a drawing or even prototype very quickly," explains draughtsman and work planner Renze van Hoek. "If there is logic behind something, you can automate it. So that's what we do."
Ten years ago, WVH started using HiCAD as its 3D CAD software. "That works fine for us, although the software has its challenges in addition to advantages. The challenges are a kind of advantage in this respect, because a lot really is possible. But precisely because the software can automate so many operations and is customisable, that can be a pitfall."
As a facade builder, WVH specialises in precast and high-rise buildings. The company is one of the market leaders in non-transparent facades. "We had ISD write a script for exactly this purpose. Call it process automation, which takes care of phasing out drawing elements. We used to do that manually, but it also meant that we as draftsmen had to perform the same actions very often."
The script ISD developed for WVH replaces an automation step already present in HiCAD. Van Hoek: "To create a design with a frame and interior and exterior cladding, we used to perform three separate steps. Now we have incorporated these into a customised script, which saves us time. Moreover, we have said goodbye to repetitive manual actions, such as repeatedly clicking the left mouse button. Now we simply switch on the computer and let it perform the actions automatically."
Automating has led to a marked saving in time. "Earlier, we spent half an hour per project setting up a drawing. Now it takes a maximum of five minutes. Moreover, with this kind of efficiency gain in the form of automation, we are much better able to strengthen our position as a specialist in prefab façade construction. If we deliver things properly, it saves a lot of time and hands on the construction site."
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Thinking out and automating operations, for example in the form of scripts, goes smoothly, Van Hoek says. "We consult with ISD on how best to approach things. And if we have a question, we can directly contact someone from the helpdesk who also thinks along with us. You don't see that with the competition. ISD also takes certain development aspects into account. These are really valuable plus points for us as a facade builder."
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